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Question about PSU ... since there wasno PSU board

Forum CPU & Components : CPUs - Question about PSU ... since there wasno PSU board

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moogle077   03-31-2003 at 08:41:50 PM

Hey,

I just read the Howto article about the mini PCs and I was wondering if it was possible to put in a different PSU? Like a 350 or 400 watt one?

http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20030318/index.html

Thanks

Sorry about posting here. There didn't seem to be any board for PSU or howto questions ...

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slvr_phoenix   03-31-2003 at 09:18:11 PM
- 0 +

Not without duct-taping it to the top of the case. **LOL**

Seriously, those little cases use the flex-atx standard. To my knowledge the absolute best flex-atx power supply is only rated at 200W. Certainly anything from Achme (the makers of the standard one shipped with those cases) doesn't offer anything over 200W in a flex-atx format.

Even the next-best 'mini' PC will be using the micro-atx format. It's almost no better. The absolute best micro-atx power supply that I've ever heard of is rated at only 300W.

If you want anything serious you have to go to the 'real' atx format.

(If anyone has heard of anything beating these, like a 300w flex-atx, please let me know.)

The thing is that typically flex-atx systems won't need much power because you get like 1 or 2 expansion cards (and that's usually combining both PCI <i>and</i> AGP), at best two whole DIMM slots, and maybe room for at most two hard drives and two CD ROMs. And usually you get even less than that. At least that's the theory behind the madness.

The simple fact is though that to get a power supply capable of more than 200W in such a small size you would need to actually spend quite a bit of money on the parts to make it and even then you'd probably need some sort of a blow-drier for a fan just to cool it. Certain THG authors like to blather on about how micronization of PCs is the way of the future, but the reality is that if you want anything expandable (or some would even say <i>usable</i> ) then you still need that big hulking PC because at the absolute least you will need a big hulking power supply.

<font color=blue><pre>If you don't give me accurate and complete system specs
then I can't give you an accurate and complete answer.</pre><p></font color=blue>

Reply to slvr_phoenix
moogle077   04-01-2003 at 02:18:54 AM
- 0 +

So if I want a CD-RW, DVD-ROM, radeon 9700, some random PCI card, probably network ... and a 120 gig HDD(good?) ...

I wouldn't need the extra safety of a higher rated power supply? I'm just worried about it burning up.

Such a tiny PC makes it soooo easy to move around :) I want one, lol

Reply to moogle077
Crashman   04-01-2003 at 03:58:37 AM
- 0 +

Yes, you would burn it up, these things are garbage made for people who either need little from their computer or know little about computers.

Did you know you can buy a standard mATX case that's has around the same size footprint and get standard parts to fit? Or that you can buy a standard mATX desktop case about the size of a VCR to use in your home theater?

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

Reply to Crashman
slvr_phoenix   04-01-2003 at 04:40:33 PM
- 0 +

Quote :

So if I want a CD-RW, DVD-ROM, radeon 9700, some random PCI card, probably network ... and a 120 gig HDD(good?) ...

I wouldn't need the extra safety of a higher rated power supply? I'm just worried about it burning up.


Hmm. Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough...

That's <i>exactly</i> what you <i>should</i> be worried about.

I thought that was my point. If you want a PC that has any real performance and power, a dinky 200W power supply just isn't going to cut it. Those crappy little flex-atx concept 'mini' PCs <i>only</i> work if you put low-performance hardware into them. They're just not worth it for anyone who wants anything close to a real system. They're prone to overheating. They greatly limit your hardware because of their crappy power supply. And they horribly limit your upgradability by having virtually no room for expansion from the very beginning.

Not to say that they don't have their niche, but as Crashman points out nicely, a little research can net you something much more usable than a flex-atx standard power supply/mobo/case combo and yet give you nearly identical benefits.

<font color=blue><pre>If you don't give me accurate and complete system specs
then I can't give you an accurate and complete answer.</pre><p></font color=blue>

Reply to slvr_phoenix
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